


All I Ask of You

by sweetiepie08



Category: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Good Ending AU, Hurt/Comfort, Modern take on a songfic, Mutual Pining, Romance, You ever get inspired by a blooper reel?, extended or addition scenes to canon, no gefling genocide au, post season 1 continuation to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:27:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24618310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetiepie08/pseuds/sweetiepie08
Summary: She walked into his life when all seemed lost. He accepted her when the other surface dwellers didn't. She was gentle. He was brave. Their first impressions dwelt in their minds and their feelings grew as their journey wore on. They supported each other, comforted each other, and gave each other strength. Together, they were a light in the darkness.
Relationships: Deet & Rian (Dark Crystal), Deet/Rian (Dark Crystal)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 30





	1. No More Talk of Darkness

“I don’t think you’re a monster.”

He had no idea how badly he needed to hear those words until they touched his ears. But he did. He needed it. He needed, so badly, for someone to listen to him, to talk to him like he wasn’t mad or a murderer. He needed to hear he wasn’t a raving lunatic, that he was worth listening to. Because some small part of him started to wonder…

Somehow the doubts managed to creep in, despite what he knew. He wasn’t sick. He knew what he saw. He knew what the Skeksis did. He had the essence to prove it. But no one would hear it. No one would look at the truth that was right in front of their faces. His own father would rather believe his son was mad than believe he’d been living a lie. Everywhere Rian turned, he found new enemies. In mere days he’d been hunted by the Skeksis, cast out by his clan, and become a pariah among other gelfling.

Wait, days? Had it really only been that long? He counted and it was true. Five days, to be exact. Less than a week ago, he and Mira roved about the castle, practicing their swordsmanship, pilfering treats from the castle kitchen, making Gurjin roll his eyes with their inside jokes and silly nicknames…. This time last week, Mira was probably plotting with Gurjin to play a prank on him. He could imagine those two snickering behind his back, whispering about whatever joke they had up their sleeves. Things seemed so simple then. Mira so full of life and Gurjin always quick with his dry wit.

And now, Gurjin awaited his fate in the clutches of the Skeksis while Rian carried what was left of Mira on his belt. How had everything become so twisted so fast?

But that Grotton… Deet was her name… She had no intention of hunting or hurting. She meant to help him. And he pulled a sword on her. He could smack himself in the face for that one. Did he apologize? He couldn’t remember. If he ever saw her again, he definitely should.

She helped him regardless. It was only a campfire, but it meant the world to him. She looked at him without fear, spoke to him as if he were just any other gelfling, and when he gave her the flint stones, she did not flinch from the touch of his hands. The simple exchange had become so strange to him in the last few days, he had to ask. “You’re not scared of me?” he said.

“I don’t think so,” she replied. “Should I be?” She said it so gently, he found himself letting some of the feelings he held inside trickle out.

“Seems like every other gelfling is. They think that I’m a monster. They’re all too scared to see the truth, even when it’s right in front of them.”

That’s when she said “I don’t think you’re a monster.” The kindness in her eyes cleared the clouds of fear in his mind. The sincerity of her voice cracked the wall he’d built around his heart on his short journey. Her words warmed and calmed him more than any campfire ever could. In that moment, she seemed the one thing left in the world untouched by darkness. If she were someone else, if she were Mira or Gurjin, he might have crumbled right there, let everything out, released all the emotions pent up inside him. He might have done it even for her, if she stuck around a little longer.

But her mind shifted in a second. Inspiration struck her, somehow, and she was off like a shot. She ran off to rescue her friend, slapping him with confusion on her way out. He couldn’t blame her. He would have done the same. If he suddenly thought of a way to rescue Gurjin, he’d have torn his own path all the way back to the castle in minutes and anyone unfortunate enough to be behind him would be choking on dust.

As he rested against a tree trunk for the night, he tried to keep the dark memories at bay. He’d gained far too many in these last few days. They swam through his head, Mira’s murder, Gurjin’s capture, his father’s betrayal, his clan casting him out… He didn’t want them now. If he had to live a nightmare when he was awake, he at least wanted some peace while he slept. He searched his mind for some bright spot in his recent memory and found Deet, the one gelfling who showed him kindness since all this began.

It was only a few minutes, a fleeting moment, but it stuck in his mind. Deet, the kind, the gentle, even brave. If only she’d stayed a bit longer. Maybe she would listen to him, even dreamfast with him. Then he could help her break her friend out of the rascal hole and together they could… do something…

Didn’t she say she had a vision of a coming disaster? Maybe the two were connected. Maybe Thra itself was trying to alert all gelfling, trying to tell them something about the Skeksis. If that were the case, maybe their paths would cross again. And least, he hoped they would.

As sleep began to take him, eyelids too heavy to stay open and body too weary to go on, he thought of her and hoped her kind words would at least bring him a good dream.

[-]

As it turned out, he did see her again, but the reunion was anything but pleasant. And things were actually starting to look up, too.

He wandered into a podling village that night. At the very least, no one would recognize him there, even if he did stand out like a boat in the desert. The place was so alive that night. He’d never seen a podling village before. He only knew the podling who served the Skeksis in the castle, and even then only in passing. The creatures who worked in the castle mainly kept to their own kind and only mixed when necessary. Walking through town, he saw friends running off for a night of debauchery, parents trying to get their excitable children inside for bed, and some podling who maybe had too much to drink, but looked like they were having fun none the less.

He wandered into a tavern and was immediately carried into the joviality. Music filled the room and podling danced and drank without a care. The smell of food and brew wafted into his nose and nostalgia broke on him like an ocean wave. His mind traveled back to better times. As young guards in training, he and Gurjin would apply for leave at the same time, then travel to the closest tavern to drink and dance and flirt with the locals. After he started seeing Mira, she came along too. Their nights of revelry passed in a haze of laughter and warmth. So many great nights were spent this way. There was the time Gurjin started doing his best Ordon impression and literally would not stop until the next morning. Or the time Mira managed to pull him on stage to dance with the band despite his protests. They felt invincible then. They were on top of the world and the worst they had to fear was being reprimanded by their officers. How suddenly and horrifically things change.

In this little podling tavern, worries seemed so far away. One podling lady asked him to dance and another sent him a drink. He turned down both their advances and stayed on the sidelines, but watching the podling continue their party and enjoying themselves put a smile on his face. They were in their own little bubble of revelry and Rian found himself slipping in just a bit. He longed for a return of those days, but he couldn’t fully give into that desire, not with the truth he, alone, now carried. Still, for the moment, he just wanted to blend into the atmosphere of this joyous place and forget.

His moment of mild contentment was cut short when he was accosted by two gelfing, Gurjin’s sister Naia and her Spriton friend Kylan. He knew Naia somewhat from the few times Gurjin invited him to see his home in the Great Smerth and he knew she was fierce. She planned to trade him for Gurjin and he was sure she would be able to drag him back to the castle herself if he couldn’t convince her other wise.

Naia’s plans, however, were also cut short by a Vapran princess of all things. The two argued over who would be the one to turn him in and claim their recompense, Gurjin for Naia and justice for the princess. Rian managed to silence them both by showing them the remainder of Mira’s essence. They stopped and they listened. He could hardly believe it. He continued cautiously, sure at any moment they would stifle his warnings and he’d be back to running, or trying to. But that moment didn’t come. He offered to dreamfast. The Spriton was the first to accept. Then the princess. Finally, Naia agreed.

He showed them. He showed them all that happened: the spitter, Gurjin’s capture, and Mira’s murder. It was harder than he expected. It was one thing to remember, but another to watch it all happen again before his eyes. His hands itched to pull away and end these horrible visions, but he kept the connection. They had to know. Every gelfling had to see the truth of what the Skeksis were doing. Only then could they fight back.

When he opened his eyes again, tears soaked his cheeks. The others shed tears as well. Naia for her brother, the princess for her fallen subject, and Kylan for all gelfling. Then he turned his head to see his father, tears in his eyes as well. “Did you see?” he asked. His father nodded and fragile hope grew slowly in his heart, as if afraid it was not real.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, son,” his father said, and the hope strengthened. His father reached out and hugged him, and Rian felt safe for the first time since this all began. He felt like a childling again. It brought forth memories of times long past, of his father helping him up when he fell or nursing cuts and scrapes. His father was not typically affectionate, especially not after Rian grew into an adult. He wanted Rian to be strong, though he had a soldier’s idea of what that meant. But this moment assured him that his father, despite his flaws, would be there to support him.

They did not have time to dwell on this moment. Within minutes, they formulated a plan and split off on their missions. Naia, Kylan, and Tavra went off to rescue Gerjin while Rian and Ordon traveled to Ha’rar to inform the All-Maudra of the skeksis corruption. He and his father moved swiftly through the wood, but it soon became apparent they were being pursued. A knife flew at them out of the dark and a skeksis, larger and more agile than any Rian knew at the castle, revealed itself.

They tried using their terrain to their advantage. They were smaller and more able to get though the brush, but it was a temporary stall at best. Once they got a moment to catch their breath, they tried an old trick. They split up to take it at two angles. Rian put himself in the open and let it follow him, but the skeksis proved to be even more dangerous than it looked. It moved through trees with the ease of water rushing down a river. Rian tried to keep his eyes on the creature while maintaining distance from its attacks, but it drew attention away from his terrain. A fall down a rocky hill landed him on the edge of a patch of gobbles. The essence flew form his belt, but he managed to save it at the last second.

The skeksis landed behind him. There was no where left to run. The skeksis drew its blade and Rian drew his. Rian took desperate slashes while the skeksis knocked him down with the sheer force of its swing. But Rian got back to his feet every time. Lessons from his father echoed in his mind as he fought. _Get back up. Push yourself. Keep going. Harder, faster, smarter, stronger._ He managed to lock the Skeksis blade with his own, but the gobbles snapped up at his heels. The Skeksis pushed him pushed him toward the hungry things, but Rian pushed back. Still the skeksis proved more than a match. Just when it seemed the gobbles would get a taste of his boot, his father jumped down from the sky and landed a blow on the skeksis’ skull.

His father landed beside him and they faced the beast side by side. They fought together, in sync with each other. Every lesson he ever learned fell into place. This is what he’d been preparing for all his life. His father knew the time may come when Rian needed to keep fighting beyond exhaustion, beyond fear, beyond insurmountable odds. That’s what he’s done this whole time. His father’s lessons kept him going all while he was a fugitive. They kept him alive and out of skeksis hands. Above all, his father taught him to fight for what’s right, and to keep fighting until the battle was won. Now, they would fight together.

But victory, tonight, was out of their reach. They locked blades with the skeksis again, but this time the skeksis knew pushing would get him nowhere. They dug their feet in and would not be moved. The Skeksis landed a kick to his father’s head and Rian was swept back with it. Blades flew out of their hands and disappeared in a haze of gobble teeth. Rian was blown back, but mostly unharmed. His father, however, was knocked out cold.

“Father!” Rian called as the skeksis approached, blades glistening against the moonlight, but he did not stir.

“Father!” he tried again. The skeksis hovered over them, blades poised to strike. Still, his father laid, barely moving.

“Father!” he cried one last time. The skeksis swung down and Rian stared up at the blade that was sure to be his end.

“Not! My! Son!” his father roared, leaping into the air. He knocked the skeksis off his feet and they fell together into the gobble patch. Both screamed as the gobbles devoured them bite by bite. Rian screamed as well; screams of horror and despair. He could do nothing. He was right there. He was a trained soldier, a castle guard. He was young and strong and agile. And yet, he could do nothing.

“Rian!” his father called with his last bit of strength. “Be brave, Rian.” It was the last thing he said before disappearing below the valley of snarling teeth.

“No! Father!” Rian stumbled to his feet and rushed forward, no plan in his mind. His only thought was of getting his father out, though he knew it was too late. It didn’t matter. If there was any chance of saving his father, the greedy things could have his life too.

“No, Rian! Stop!” a familiar voice begged. Arms grabbed him and pulled him back. “Stop, it’s too dangerous.”

He tore his eyes away to see Deet, clutching his arm. She was there. Suddenly, she was there. Why was she there? He barely knew who she was. Why should she be there for him? Was she simply that kind? That she rushed to help a near stranger? It was all so strange and confusing, but he didn’t have room in his mind to question it further.

Her podling friend was at his back, holding his other arm. Together, they sorrowfully watched the gobbles begin to settle. He heard the podling whisper “aminya” to her. He knew a little podling. Aminya meant friend, but in certain contexts could also mean “angel.” Maybe the podling was right. Maybe that’s exactly what she was. A friend and an angel all in one.

The gobbles went still and any last shred of hope he had died. Everything inside him was full to bursting. Sorrow, fear, grief, rage, guilt all mixed and stirred inside him, threatening to spill out. “He’s gone,” he said, finally. “He’s gone.” The words came out in a gasp. His voice had gone raspy and tears ran like rivers down his cheeks. It was time now. He was ready. He was going to break down right here, right now in the arms of a stranger. Everything raged inside him. He felt he could scream all night, or possibly the rest of his life. If he couldn’t scream, he would die. It was all too much for any gelfling to bare.

Then the gobbles stirred again. He looked up. A fool’s hope appeared in his chest. _Father?_ But as soon as rumbling began below the surface, he knew it was not so. He didn’t have time to react, save to push Deet and the podling away, before he was snatched up by the skeksis.

“Rian!” Deet screamed, but the skeksis had already pulled him into the trees. Rian could only watch, a helpless captive, as Deet, his last hope, disappeared into the distance.


	2. Let Daylight Dry Your Tears

The night brought a much-needed chill to the Crystal Desert. The suns bore down on them during the day, harsh and unforgiving, but the moon and stars granted them relief. They gathered around a campfire, preparing an improvised funeral ceremony for the fallen, though specifically it was for Brea’s mother, All-Maudra Mayrin. It was Deet’s suggestion. Brea lost her only a few days ago and the pain was still fresh. Rian understood. He knew what it was like to lose someone dear, then need to run with no time to mourn or reflect. But now, on the cliffside, they could finally slow down, rest, and feel the weight of their losses.

Kylan lead the ceremony. He gave Brea a Dream Stitch and told her to bind her mother’s memory to it. She hesitated. The others tried to encourage her, but she was overwhelmed, unsure of what to say. So, Rian stepped in. He’d been silent about his own grief until now. This was meant for the All-Maudra and he didn’t want to overshadow that. But Brea needed support. He wanted to show her she wasn’t alone, that someone else knew the pain of losing a parent to the Skeksis. So, Rian told them of his father.

He let out more than he intended. Gurjin knew how he felt about his father, as did Mira. He’d gone on enough childish rants over the years about how strict his father was. Though, Rian had to admit, he didn’t make it easy. Mischief was something of a specialty of his, especially as a childling. Breaking rules, particularly ones that seemed unfair, was a constant temptation. It got him in plenty of trouble growing up, as could be expected. Who’d have guessed that talent for breaking rules would work out for him now?

But his father did not always see it that way. “He is a challenge,” he overheard his father say to his grandparents once when he was a childling. Rian remembered running outside, his heart lodged in his throat and terrified he might cry. It wasn’t the words that hurt, necessarily but the way he said them; cold and impersonal, like he was giving a report on a new, disappointing recruit. He got in trouble that night for staying out after dark. He never told his father what he heard. They never talked about it, about anything really. How might things have been different if they had?

But his father did teach him something. He learned to fight, and not just with a sword. He knew the value of justice, of Thra, of the lives of those around him. And he knew the importance of protecting those things. When he and his father fought the Hunter, they were not just fighting for their lives, but for the future of Thra, and they fought together.

His father’s final message was to be brave. So he would. He’s take those simple words and make them his mantra. He would not give up. He would fight on for Thra, for the gelfing, for his father.

Brea spoke next. She had kinder things to say. Her mother was more affectionate and openly loving. She said “I love you” often. His own father was a man of action, not words. And his father’s final action was one of pure love. Still, Rian wondered what it must be like to have a parent who said the words at any chance.

Once Brea finished speaking, Kylan began a funeral dirge. Deet joined in first, then others. Kylan took out his flute and accompanied them. Hup began singing a podling dirge as well, his melody blending beautifully with the others. Rian was as comfortable singing as he was dancing, which is to say not much. He watched the others sing, all the same song, save Hup. They were gelfling from all different clans. Each had their own culture, their own traditions, their own way of life. But this they shared. They all lived, they all died, they all felt, and they all loved. And so, they all mourned, together.

Rian joined the song. As he sang, his gaze fell on Deet. They locked eyes across the fire. He focused on her voice. It was lovely and sweet, _like her._ The thought snuck up on him and it surprised the song from his lips. He watched her in the fire light. Her face was soft and serene as she sang. The embers reflected in her soulful eyes. She noticed him watching her and she paused as well. As she looked back at him, they shared a moment of silence.

 _I am so thankful to have met you,_ he thought, as if he could convey it through his gaze alone. She smiled at him, then continued singing.

The dream stitch began glowing in Brea’s hands. It unfolded its wings, rose into the air, and drifted away on the winds.

[-]

After the ceremony, the gelfling stayed up a while longer. They split off into smaller groups. Gurjin and Naia bantered as siblings do, Brea wrote in her journal by the fire while Kylan played his flute, and Deet and Hup chatted quietly as they stargazed. Rian took a place by Gurjin and Naia and listened as they talked. There was something comforting about their back-and-forth. He’d only met Naia a handful of times before all this, but he was familiar with Gurjin’s dry sarcasm and it reminded him of simpler times. Though, as he listened, he found his eyes drifting over to Deet and he noticed her stealing glances at him as well.

One by one, they drifted off to sleep. Almost the whole camp had gone to bed by the time Rian decided to turn in. However, he saw Deet still sitting alone by the cliffside. “Deet?” he said, approaching her, “are you going to sleep soon?”

“In a minute,” she answered, her eyes transfixed on the stars. “I want to look at the night some more.”

“The night?”

“Yes, Grottons have sensitive eyes,” she explained. “We learned to see in the dark, but the suns can be quite harsh on us. My eyes have adjusted to the sunlight, but they still hurt sometimes at the end of the day. It wasn’t so bad in the forest, with all trees around, but the desert is much brighter. Looking at the night feels very refreshing to me.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.” He sat down next to her, letting his feet dangle over the cliffside. She looked at him and he could see her eyes clearer. They were so deep and expressive. Looking into them was like looking into Deet’s gentle (beautiful) heart. “Maybe you should wear a hat or something? You know, with a brim? To keep the sunlight out of your eyes?”

“Oh, so it’s like carrying shade around with you all the time?” She smiled like she just discovered something new. Maybe she had. There would probably be no need for a sunhat in the caves. Her world be as different to him as the surface was to her.

“Yeah, I guess it’s something like that.”

“That’s a good idea. You surface dwellers come up with some clever things.”

“Clever things come out of your caves too,” he said, remembering her campfire moss trick.

Her smile softened and she turned her gaze back to the stars. “You know, I’ve never truly seen the stars before I came to the surface. They look so beautiful tonight. The way they reflect in the crystal sands makes it hard to tell where the night sky ends.”

“I never thought of it that way,” he admitted, “but you’re right.” And she really was. Deet had a way of turning simple things into wonder. It was all in the way she approached them. She had compassion for everyone and everything around her and she saw the best in it.

“By the way,” she said, “I though what you said about your father tonight was very touching.”

“Oh that,” he felt himself blush for some reason. “I just said something to help Brea get her thoughts together.”

“Still…” she began hesitantly, “I was there that night. I saw what happened…”

“I remember.” The sheer memory felt like a knife in his heart.

“I never knew him, of course, but I think your father would be very proud of what you’re trying to do.”

He let out a ragged breath. “You know, you might be right about that. At least, I hope I can make him proud…” _Finally._

“Tell me about him,” she said, “I mean, if you want to.”

“Well, my father was a hero,” he began, reciting the refrain he heard his entire life. “He lead the Stonewoods to victory in the Arathim Wars. He was stern, disciplined. He wanted me to be the same but…” His heart clenched.

“But that’s not you,” she finished for him.

He shook his head. “No…that’s not me…”

“Well,” she said, her voice soft, “I like you the way you are.”

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Thank you.”

“I guess I’m lucky. My family never wanted me to be anything except what I am.”

“That must be nice,” he answered before unconsciously letting out a forlorn tsk.

“What is it?”

He hesitated a moment, wondering what to say. He rarely talked about his father to anyone but his friends. Was Deet not his friend? He knew she was kind and gentle, but still brave enough to leave her home to save Thra and rush to the aid of a friend in need. She was a good person and I good friend. He was sure he could talk to her without judgement.

“Whenever I think about my father, I can’t help but wonder what might have been. His last moments showed me that everything he did, he did out of love for me. Still I wonder, what if he was more affectionate, or more encouraging, or said the words more…” His voice broke as guilt overwhelmed him. “It’s awful. He gave his life for me. How can I still want more?”

“Is it about wanting more?” she asked, moving closer to him. His own sorrow reflected in her eyes. “Maybe it’s what you said, wondering about what might have been. From what you said…” she stopped to finds the right words, “it sounded like you were just starting to form a great team. The Hunter stole that from you both. It’s only natural to wonder. Besides, you must have had some other good times together. Did it always feel like you were just a soldier?”

He took s breath to collect himself. “Well, when I started my training, it did. He didn’t want to show any favoritism, so he treated my like any other recruit. And when I was a childling, he was usually too busy leading the castle guard to spend much time with me. So, I got up to a lot of mischief. It seemed the only way to get his attention when he was on duty. I understand now that he had a job to do, but still, growing up was a little…”

“Lonely?”

“Yes…” he admitted. “It wasn’t all bad, though. I spent my summers at Stone-in-the-Wood with my grandparents. I looked forward to it every year. I could run and play anywhere I pleased and I didn’t have to be mindful to stay out of the Skeksis’ way. Even better, my father would come visit me for one week every month and we’d spend all our time together. We’d go fishing, or camping, or fizzgig hunting. He taught me how to use the stars as a map, how to make a campfire, how to live off the land… He’d show me a new skill once, maybe twice, then tell me to keep trying until I figured out how to do it myself.” A small laugh escaped his lips. “You know, part of me is surprised that, on the day I came of age, he didn’t drop me off in the middle of the Endless Forrest with nothing but a hunting knife and tell me to find my way back.”

“What did he do?”

“He gave me my first drink, well, as far as he knew, as my first sword. He congratulated me on graduating my training and said he was proud of me.” A smile came to his face as the memory warmed him. “My father was a soldier to the core, but he did have a softer side. I think I got to see it more than anyone.”

“I saw him fighting alongside you. He seemed very brave. I see that in you as well.”

The smile of his lips stayed as pride grew in his heart. “I’m not much like my father, but he taught me a lot. I don’t think he expected me to apply his lessons quite the way I am, but I will keep fighting as he taught me, for him, for the gelfling… and for Mira.”

“You cared a great deal for her,” Deet said, moving closer to him.

“I loved her,” he answered firmly. He didn’t want that fact to get lost in the story. He wanted people to remember who Mira was. She was more than what the Skeksis did to her. She was a person with a great laugh, a taste for adventure, people who loved her, and a brilliant future that was stolen from her.

“Actually,” he went on, “before she died, I was planning on going to Stone-in-the-Wood on my next leave and bringing her back a stone.”

“A stone?” Deet asked, a trace of amusement in her voice.

“It’s a Stonewood tradition,” he explained. “When a gelfling proposes marriage to another gelfling, they bring their beloved a stone from a special place where their love bloomed.”

“What was your special place?”

“Well, she’d heard so many stories about my summers in Stone-in-the-Wood, she insisted on seeing it with me. So, the next time we had leave together, I took her with me. I showed her all my favorite places. We went to the open-air brewery which makes the best ales. We went ziplining down the tallest trees. I introduced her to my grandmother and they got along great. Her favorite place, though, was a swimming hole just outside the village. I took her there for a moonlight swim. I remember, she’d just jumped out from behind a waterfall. She was laughing. She always seemed to have a joke in her head. The moonlight bounced off her hair, making her glow. I thought she looked so beautiful. I told her I loved her. I didn’t plan it. It just came out. She kissed me so hard I we fell beneath the surface of the water. I was planning to bring her a skipping stone from the water’s side and aks her to marry me on the castle’s observatory.”

Tears came unbidden to his eyes. He’d only noticed they were there when he felt them on his cheeks. Deet laid a hand on his back, gently as she was named. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t need to. This was exactly what he needed. He needed to stop, to think, to grieve, to cry. There was never time before. Tears always came to his eyes when he dreamfasted that horrible day, but every time, he needed to wipe them away quickly and carry on. Now, he could let them fall, let them dry on his cheeks and leave their salt behind. Having Deet there, feeling her touch and knowing she listened, just made him feel safer.

“Feeling better?” she asked after his tears slowed.

He wiped the remains away. “A little.” His pent-up sorrows had drained with his tears, leaving relief in its wake. The pain of loss was still there. That sort of grief left a scar. But it dulled and left room for him to feel other things again.

“I can tell you loved them, and miss them. I’ll be they know it too,” she said, moving her other hand to his. “I’m sorry, I wish I had something better to say.”

“Don’t be,” he said softly. “Just talking to you helped a lot.”

“If you ever need to talk again, I’ll be right beside you,” she said, and she meant it.

“Thank you, Deet. It means a lot to me.” He curled his fingers around her hand. “Maybe I’ll get to return the favor someday. Hopefully not under the same circumstances.”

She let out a sad, but amused breath. “No, I certainly hope not.”

“But if you ever need anything, you can always ask me.”

“Thank you, Rian,” she said, a smile coming to her lips. She looked back up at the sky. “And maybe I will get one of those hats you suggested. Though, your sky lights aren’t all bad. The stars and the moon really are beautiful.”

“Yes,” he said, his gaze still fixed on Deet. He watched the stars glittering in her eyes. They really were… “Beautiful.”

He turned his had back to the night sky. She was right. It was beautiful, but not just the stars. The night breeze cooled the air. The world was painted in shades of blue. Everything was quiet and still… Peaceful was the word he was looking for. Funny, in all the chaos he somehow forgot. But that’s what it was, peace. Not the false peace the Skeksis promised, but true peace. Everything in Thra working in harmony as it should. This is what they fought for, the chance to bring Thra back into balance.

He felt something heavy land on his shoulder. He looked down to see Deet’s head leaning against him. “Deet?”

“Oh,” she gasped, suddenly lifting her head again. “I’m sorry. I must be getting sleepy.”

“We should both be getting to bed.” He swung his feet back onto solid ground and stood up. “Come on,” he said, offering his hand. “The edge of a cliff is no place to be nodding off.” She smiled as she took it and he felt her warmth radiate off her.

They joined the others by the campfire and fell asleep alongside the rest of them. As he drifted off, Rian thought about their conversation. It was a simple thing, just one friend listening to another, but he was finding he needed simple things in his life. In the midst of all the fighting and heartache, peace was what he longed for most.


	3. Talk of Summertime

Deet watched with her friends as the Skeksis, Heretic he called himself, lead Hup to another part of the ruin. She dearly hoped they would stop calling Hup a slave. Her brave little friend deserved much more respect than that. She felt bad letting Hup go off with their hosts. He didn’t seem too happy about being roped into the surprise, but whatever is was, it would get them closer to stopping the Skeksis. Hopefully, he’d understand.

She looked around at her dejected friends. Brea and Rian looked both ready to pounce and on the brink of collapse. Their long journey ran them ragged but the urgency of their mission hastened them on. A rest was at once something they greatly needed and couldn’t afford. She understood their impatience. They finally made it here. Answers were within their grasp. It was frustrating, being told to wait even longer when they were so close. But if they had to wait anyway, they may as well make the best of it.

“Well, a surprise sounds fun,” Deet said, hoping to lift their spirits.

“We don’t have time for fun,” Rian sighed. It made her heart ache. She knew how heavily this whole ordeal weighed on him. Waiting must be agony to him.

“Well,” Brea said, drawing herself up, “if we’re stuck here anyway, we may as well get some rest.”

“I’m really not tired,” Rian insisted, though his sinking posture said differently.

“Don’t be silly.” Brea brushed past them and headed for the curtained-off area the Heretic pointed them toward. “We’ve made a very long journey and staying on our feet isn’t going to make the surprise come faster. We should rest while we have the chance. Who knows what the next part of our quest may bring?”

“I don’t know if I can,” Rian said as they followed Brea to the waiting area. “We’re so close to answers.”

Brea curled up on a pile of rugs. “Well, suit yourself, but I’m going to get some shut-eye.” She closed her eyes and, within minutes, her steady breathing indicated that she had fallen asleep.

Rian marvel at her. “How can she do that?” he said, looking at Brea like she’d just performed some daring feat of acrobatics. “Can you fall asleep that fast?”

“This has all been exhausting,” Deet replied softly, so as not to wake Brea. However, she found herself unable to settle down as well. Instead, she wandered around the space, eyes flitting at the curious objects kept on shelves around them.

“It’s frustrating is what it is,” Rian grumbled, peeking out between the curtains. “They know how important this is. How can they make us wait?”

“If they’re making us wait, it must be important,” she reasoned. “We came for answers, whatever form they come in.”

“Why can’t they just tell us what they know?” he huffed. “What are they going to do? Put on a whole performance first?”

“We made it here, that’s the important thing.”

“And what comes next?” He whirled around and began pacing the floor. “I just want to know what we’re supposed to do so we can do it and be done with it. The sooner the Skeksis are defeated, the better for everybody.”

“I know how you feel.” She put a hand on his shoulder. He stopped pacing but he was still tense. “When I left Grot, the Darkening had already started seeping into the caves. I worry about my home every day.”

Rian let out a long breath and let his shoulders slump slightly. “All I want is to make sure no more gelfling get drained. What happened to Mira should never happen again. It shouldn’t have happened to her.” He cast his eyes down to the floor. “No one deserves to have their life stolen like that.”

Sadness swelled in her heart as the pain showed on Rian’s face. She felt helpless. She’d never experienced the type of loss he had. She could only imagine the hurt he felt right now, and she was sure her imaginings didn’t even come close. He’d opened up to her last night on the cliffs. He trusted her enough to help him through his grief. She only hoped she could find the right words. “I wish I could have met her,” she tried softly. “She sounds like a special person.”

The ghost of a smile formed on his lips. “She would have loved you. She loved anything that could a smile on someone’s face.”

Deet felt her cheeks warm. “I’m glad you think we’d get along.”

His little smile dissolved as quickly as it appeared. “She always knew how to brighten someone’s day. She could find little things to make her smile. It’s been hard for me to do that since this whole thing started. Every time I feel like I’m about to smile or laugh, I remember she’s gone, and any shred of joy gets sucked out of me. It feels wrong to laugh without her.”

“I wonder,” she began carefully, “what Mira would say to that.”

He let out a breath of a chuckle. “She’d kick my hide to all three suns and back if I swore off laughing forever.”

“It’s probably not my place to say but...” she hesitated, unsure of how to put his. After all, she never knew Mira. But, in the end, she decided to share her honest thoughts as best as she could. “If I were gone, I’d want my loved ones to be happy, even if I can’t be there with them.”

Rian went quiet for a moment. This worried her. Perhaps he was offended, thinking she was trying to speak for his lost love. What if she only made him feel worse? She began forming an apology in her head when he turned to her. “I think I’d want that too,” he said, gazing at her with his gentle eyes.

“Because you’re a good person, Rian.”

He stepped back and shook his head. “You’re too kind.”

“It’s true,” she insisted, taking a small step toward him. “You have a big heart and you care very much about the gelfling around you. I…” her face flushed, “I really like that about you.”

He took a step toward her as well. “You’re a very special person, Deet.”

The drifted closer. Being so near him made her heart flutter. She had to admit, he was handsome. He looked at her with kindness in his eyes. She meant every word she said to him. Interesting how one raised to fight could be so gentle at heart. Perhaps it was all in what one fought for.

But the wave of affection passed as reason set in. Rian was still mourning Mira. Her warm feelings for him could only go so far. She could be his friend and he could be hers, but that was all they could be, at least for now.

She stepped back and began wandering around the little space. Rian peaked out through the curtain. She ran her hands over the trinkets on the shelves. They presented her with curious questions. What did the symbols on the talismans mean? What was in these jars? She’d seen so many strange things since she came to the surface, but the circle of the suns was certainly the strangest.

“How much longer do we have to wait?” Rian asked, still looking through the gaps in the curtain.

“They said they’d come get us when the surprise was ready,” she replied. She hoped Hup was alright by himself, though she was sure the Heretic and Mystic wouldn’t hurt him, as strange as they were. “Though I am hungry. Are you hungry?” Her stomach rumbled, reminding her all she’d eaten that day was the Dousan traveler’s bread Rek’yr offered them.

She spotted some berries growing on a vine. This must be how their hosts managed to sustain themselves in the desert. Her stomach growled again. They did invite them to rest back here. Surely they wouldn’t mind if she took a few. She plucked one.

“No wait!” Rias gasped, rushing toward her. “Don’t eat that!”

She stopped just short of putting it in her mouth. “But, berries are food,” she said, though she immediately felt silly for saying it. It should have been obvious, but it clearly wasn’t, not if Rian reacted the way he did.

“They’re not,” he explained. “They’re Urdupes. They’re like medicine. Dousan shamans use them to speak with Thra and glimpse into the future.”

A wave of embarrassment washed over her. Surely a surface dweller would know this. She must have looked like a fool. “Everything up here is strange,” she sighed. “I miss my caves.” Home, where everything was familiar, where she didn’t feel like a clueless childling. “I miss my family.”

“Tell me about them,” Rian coaxed gently.

His genuine request warmed her. No one up here, it seemed, wanted anything to do with Grottons. If they didn’t insult her or push her away, they avoided her like she was diseased. Even the new friends she made on the surface hadn’t asked her about her home. That was understandable, of course. They were all very busy trying to save Thra. They all had a lot on their minds. That Rian made the effort to try to get to know her better meant a lot.

“Well, I have two fathers and a brother and my parents tend nurloch herds. I help them sometimes.”

“What’s a nurloch?”

“It’s a big worm. My dress is actually made from nurloch rump. It’s the softest…” her voice trailed off as she looked into his eyes. There was a trace of amusement in them, but was he laughing with her or at her?

Perhaps he was just being polite. He was a surface dweller after all, a nice one but still, he didn’t understand their world. He grew up in the castle and Stone-in-the-Wood. He wouldn’t want to know about her dress or nurloch farming. Daylighters were used to fancier things. She must look like an unrefined bumpkin to him. “You think I’m weird too…”

“Not at all.” His soft, careful tone made her breath catch in her throat. “I think your rump dress is quite lovely.”

Lovely, he said. She hadn’t heard that from another gelfling since she came to the surface. Dirty, smelly, and strange, sure, but not lovely. Hup was the only one to show her kindness until she met her friends. They were all sweet, kind people in their own ways. Naia was fiercely protective and looked out for everyone’s safety. Gurjin kept their hearts light with his wit. Kylan was generous with both supplies and spirit. Brea’s determination drove them forward. And Hup was her steadfast rock in this strange world. Together they strove to save Thra and protect its inhabitants from those who would harm them.

But Rian, with his brave heart and deep well of compassion, started it all. He never gave up on his quest to spread the truth, even when the others scorned him and cast him out. He wanted to save them, no matter what. How much did he lose? How much had he suffered? She was with him the night before, when he finally let his grief out. He held it in for Thra-knew-how-long. She wanted nothing more than to comfort him and shield him from further harm. Though she knew the latter was out of her hands.

Now, he was here comforting her, making her feel more welcome in the unfamiliar world. He tried to make her feel a little less homesick at least for a minute and his efforts worked. The pain of his journey had not hardened his heart. His kindness and gentleness still shined through.

They drifted closer together. She wanted to be closer. She wanted to feel the warmth of his smile, see his handsome face up close. What must it be like, she wondered, to be held by his strong arms?

They were mere inches apart. Her heart raced. She didn’t know what would happen next, but her imagination went wild. Would they hug? Pull each other into a deeper embrace? Was she bold enough to think he might kiss her?

Any expectations she might have were dashed, however, when the curtain was pushed aside. “It is time,” the Mystic announced. Brea awoke and they left their little corner of oasis. It was time now, indeed. Time to return to the real world, to their mission. All flights of fancy would need to be put on hold, at least for now. Answers awaited the, and the next leg of their journey would begin.


	4. Let Me Be Your Shelter

Standing hand in hand at Stone-in-the-Wood, they watched the Crucible until the last blue flame died out. Rian’s question lingered in their minds. “Will they come?” She knew his faith in their fellow gelfling was tested time after time on their journey. Would they believe him? Would they help him? Would they see the truth? He'd been let down so many times, it was no wonder there was still doubt.

“I think so,” she assured him, placing her other hand on his. “Brea and Gurjin and the rest will, at least. And they may bring others.” She offered him a smile, a genuine one. It was a relief to see Brea safe and the rest of their friends away from harm.

He returned her smile, but it faded into his exhausted expression. “We'd better get ready, then.”

His hand slipped out of hers as he began walking off toward one of the buildings. It left an impression, just like his touch always did, as if her skin wanted to savor the sensation. Even now, she could feel him in her memory. His weight in her arms as she carried him through the breath of Thra, the hand he laid on her back after their crash to make sure she was alright, her arms wrapped around him as he carried her out of the cave's mouth… He had a way of making her feel protected and safe with only the touch of his hands, and the feeling always lingered.

His acts of gallantry didn't end there. She watched him slip back into the soldier as they journeyed through the caves of Grot. He led her, sword in hand, ready to face any danger they may encounter. He insisted on entering her house first, just in case there were any arathim inside. When a darkened nurloc attacked, he drew the creature to himself so she could escape.

She understood the impulse to protect well. After all, she’d done the same for him. When the Hunter infiltrated the Circle of the Suns, she instinctively jumped in front of Rian, not thinking of her own safety or how to defend herself. Her only thought was that she didn't want to see him harmed again.

She followed him to a large stone building behind them Maudra’s home. They found the door padlocked. Rian disappeared into the Maudra’s home for a brief moment and returned with the key.

“What is this?” Deet asked.

“The Armory,” Rian answered, unlocking the door. “The Stonewood have a saying. ‘The hand that wields the blade cannot help the fall into their feet, but there are times when the blade is necessary.’ So, we're always prepared.” He swung the doors open, revealing the stores of Stonewood weapons. Armor hung on the walls. Spears, axes, and swords rested in their stands. “Traditionally, when a Stonewood warrior's battle is over, they melt their blade down in the Crucible. The metal is then forged into new blades when they are needed again.”

“Excuse me but…” She glanced towards the courtyard, “those blades didn’t look melted to me.”

“Yes, the Crucible stopped working after the Arathim Wars. I imagine the glaive had something to do with that. Perhaps Thra knew we would need them again before long.”

They stepped in and looked around. The empty space on the shelves and walls gave some clue as to what exactly happened to the Stonewood Warriors.

“It seems your clan got your message, after all,” Deet said, noting an empty axe-shaped space on the wall surrounded by a layer of dust.

“Yes,” he murmured, gently leaning the glaive against a wall. “If I hadn't seen more Maudra Fara in the flames, I'd be fearing the worst.”

Together, they spent the rest of the afternoon taking inventory and counting supplies. Once that was finished, Rian took up the duel glaive again. He held it up to the light and ran his fingers carefully along the edge. He didn’t seem satisfied with what he found.

“For a legendary sword, this thing could stand to be a lot sharper,” he quipped, taking a fresh whetstone off the shelf. “I think we've done about all we can here, at least until we see who shows up.” He took the keys and started out. “Come on. I think I've got a surprise.”

“What's that?”

He cast her smirk over his shoulder “How would you like to sleep with a roof over your head for a change?”

They walked away from the armory and he led her to a house not far from the village square. It was a charming home carved into the trunk of a tree. There was a little path lined with rocks leading up to it. Colored glass bobbles and a bird feeder hung from the lower branches. It looked dark, especially in the twilight of the setting suns, but she could so easily imagine it lit up with candles and a warm fire.

“I this your house?” she asked as Rian reached into a knot on the side of the tree and pulled out a spare key.

“It is now, I guess,” he said. “This was my grandmother's house. I spent my summers here as a childling. She passed away a few unumn before all this chaos started. It passed to my father and now…” He unlocked the door without another word and they went inside.

It was dark and very still. She could see the fireplace, some soft chairs, a sofa and a rug on the floor. It looked cozy and lived in. It looked like a home and it made her heart ache for her own. “It's lovely.”

“Thank you. This is probably my favorite place in Thra, to be honest.” He looked around with a gentle fondness in his eyes. “Some of my happiest memories are here.”

“Those summers you talked about? When your father would visit? Camping and fizzgig hunting?”

A smile spread on his lips. “Yes exactly. It'll be nice to spend at least one more night here. Whatever happens tomorrow…” The warmth in his face quickly faded to dread. That happened to him so easily and it made her heart hurt every time.

She put her hand on his shoulder as if she could transfer some of her warmth to him. “Let's try to make it fun, then.”

“Fun?” he said as if he didn't know the meaning of the word.

“Yes, let's pretend we're just two gelfling spending a quiet night together. Tomorrow is just an ordinary day.”

He looked amused for a moment but that, too, faded quickly. “As tempting as that is, I've had enough comforting lies for one lifetime.”

“It's not a lie. It's a game,” she said, putting some playfulness into her voice.

“The way a childling plays house?”

“Yes, that's it. We'll pretend we live a peaceful life here and we're just enjoying our evening the way we usually would.”

“Alright.” A genuine grin broke like daylight on his face. “But if we're going to play, we'll need characters.”

“She beamed at him. Now he was catching on. “Good idea. I'll be Miss Hollerbat and I'm an herbalist.”

“I'm Mr. Nebrie, the cobbler.

“Alright,” she laughed. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Nebrie.”

“Enchanted, Miss Hollerbat.” He stepped forward and kissed her hand.

She felt the heat rise in her cheeks. “You have a lovely home, Mr. Nebrie.”

“Thank you Miss Hollerbat. I'm so glad you could visit.” His eyes drifted to the kitchen. “Let's just hope there's food in it.”

“I'll start a fire while you look.”

“Sounds good.” He flashed her a smile as he headed toward the kitchen. “Please make yourself at home.”

“For that, we might need to move this place quite far underground,” she quipped, looking for flint stones.

“Whatever makes you comfortable,” he said, laughter in his voice.

The sound made her heart swell. “And of course we'll need a few dozen nurloc.”

“Nurloc might be hard to come by,” he retorted, keeping up his playful tone, “but you can trip over a few hundred fizzgig at any given moment.”

Rian managed to scrape together enough food for a stew, although he did have to check other people’s gardens and hope a few vegetables wouldn't be missed. He also found a bottle of Spriton berry wine for them to share. Once supper was ready, they sat together by the fire to eat. When they finished, they sipped their wine as the fire crackled and they continue to their game.

“So how was your day, Mr. Nebrie,” Deet asked, taking a sip from her glass.

“Well, let’s see,” Rian mused. “I woke up, had breakfast, tripped over about a hundred fizzgig…”

“You said that about the fizzgig, already,” she pointed out, giggling.

“You don't understand they're usually everywhere. Just a truly ridiculous amount of fizzgig wherever you look.” He put down his glass so he could gesture more freely. Deet laughed as he became more animated. “A lot of people keep them as pets, but my father always said ‘why bother when there are going to be at least three barking at your door any moment?’”

“Didn't you say you hunted fizzgig as a childling?”

“Yes but we never kept them,” he explained smiling at the memory. “We just gave them some belly rubs and some berries for their troubles and let them go.”

“Oh, that's sweet.” She could so easily imagine tiny Rian playing gently with the fuzzy creatures.

“Actually, when I was a childling, we had this neighbor. Orla was her name. She was the sweetest little old lady and she kept about five fizzgig at a time. They were the gentlest, most docile creatures you ever saw. They left every living thing in Thra alone except my father.” A nostalgic twinkle came to his eye as he spoke. “My mother and I could always tell when he was almost home because all five would start yapping at once. I don't know what he did to earn their ire, but they never let it go. Those fizzgig and Maudra Fara were the only creatures in Thra who could irritate my father on purpose and get away with it.”

“Maudra Fara?”

He chuckled. “Yes, I'm fairly certain teasing my father to his face was a favorite hobby of hers.” A shadow passed over his face. “I imagine she’ll miss that.”

“Perhaps she can tease you instead,” Deet suggested, hoping to lighten his mood.

He shook his head. “I don't think it will have the same appeal. A lot of my friends tease me all the time, but no one messed with my father.” His smile faded as he looked away from her. He went quiet for a moment. His eyes fogged over as he lost himself in thought.

Deet reached out to him. “Rian?”

He looked up and flashed her a forced smile. “I'm fine.” He let out a deep breath and continued their game. “So Miss Hollerbat, how are you enjoying Stone-in-the-Wood so far?” he asked, taking another sip from his wine glass.

“Oh, it's been wonderful,” she answered, feeling the warmth in her chest. “There's so many beautiful plants and animals that I've never seen before. And I've met the sweetest gelfling… maybe not here, exactly, but near here. He is a Stonewood, though. He’s great friend. He really helped me feel welcome on the surface, like I'm not so strange after all.”

“I'm sorry Miss Hollerbat, but that's impossible,” he interjected firmly.

“Excuse me?”

“I happen to know the sweetest gelfling in Thra is a Grotton named Deet.” The way he looked at her made her heart beat wildly. “She's the kindest soul I've ever met. She's really been a great friend, too. I don't know if I'd have made it this far without her. I just hope that, with everything that lies ahead, I can keep her safe.”

She reached out and put her hand on his, her heart racing all the while. “I know my friend Rian is very brave. I've seen him put himself between his friends in danger many times before. And he does it because he has so much love in his heart. Whatever happens tomorrow, I'll know he fought his hardest to protect everyone. It's too big a job for one gelfling to take on alone, but he tries anyway. I just hope he knows he's not alone and he'll always be my kind, brave friend.”

“Deet always knows the best things to say,” he choked out. She could hear tears behind his voice. He took her other hand, looking at her with glistening eyes. “What should he and say to her to tell her how much she's helped him?”

“He doesn't have to say anything. It's what friends do.”

“What do you think Deet would like Rian to say to her?” He asked, leaning closer.

“Well,” she paused to collect her thoughts and attempt to stop her head from spinning. “I imagine it made her feel really good whenever he told her he didn't think she was weird. After so many gelfling made her feel like she didn't belong, it was nice to hear out loud that someone accepted her.”

He flashed a mischievous grin. “I’ll bet Rian would like to know the names of these gelflings so he can have a little talk with them about how wonderful deed is and tell them they are idiots for not seeing it.”

“Deet would probably say it's alright because he's already made her feel safe and accepted and…” She searched her mind for something to add, but she’d lost herself in the sparkling blue of his eyes. “…and he gives great hugs.”

“I'll have to tell her she should try hugging Gurjin sometime to compare,” he laughed. “And I should tell her that just being around her has made everything that happened more bearable.”

“I'll have to tell him that just being around him makes her happy.”

“And I'll tell her she makes the world seem more beautiful even when times are hard.”

“And I'll tell him he makes the surface feel more like home.”

“And I’ll-” He stopped himself short and seem to deflate. “No…” he muttered to himself. “That's too much to ask.”

“What?”

He let go of her hand and stood up, leaving the ghost of his touch behind. “It's just… I've lost so many gelfling I love on this journey…” He leaned on the mantle watched the fireplace as the logs burned and crackled. He went quiet for a long time, seeming to struggle with something in his mind. Finally he whispered her name. “Deet, I would accept one more comforting lie if only you say it.”

“What is it?”

“Could… could you say you love me?” He looked at her and his eyes broke her heart. “You don't have to meet it. It can just be part of our game. But just hearing the words…”

“I can't,” she whispered.

He nodded and turned back to the fire. “I understand.”

She stood up, her heart pounding, and put her hand on his shoulder. “I can't because that is not a lie.”

“Deet..” He turned to her and gently laid his hands on her face, looking at her like he was seeing her for the first time. “It's not a lie from me either.”

He kissed her and she stumbled backward a few steps. Her heart felt like it could burst. She could hardly believe what was happening. She threw her arms around him and kissed him back.

“Deet,” he whispered, drawing back for a breath. “Promise me we're not pretending anymore. Promise me that all you say is true.”

“It's true,” she said breathlessly. “I promise. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

They stumbled backward together onto the sofa. She held onto him tight, like he was a dream that would disappear in the morning. He said he loved her and she felt it in her heart that this was true, but she also knew the wine and the pressure of the night could have played with their minds. If not for that, would she have taken her first bold step? Would he have answered her confession with one of his own? Is there any point in wondering now that they were together?

At some point, they lost their balance and came crashing to the floor, bringing the cushions down with them. She was so light with joy, she could do nothing but laugh. When she looked over, she saw him laughing too. She loved everything about his laugh, from the sound, to the sparkle in his eye, to the wrinkle in his nose. She could see why Mira would be cross with him if he stopped forever.

But then his laughter died and she followed his eyes to something glimmering on the floor.

It was a bracelet made from iridescent blue beads. Carefully, he picked it up and ran his fingers gently along the stones, staring at it with a haunted look in his eye.

“What is that?” Deet asked.

“This is Mira’s” he answered, his voice barely above a whisper. “She was looking for this. She thought it’d fallen off on the landstrider ride back to the castle.”

Deet reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Mira would always be a shadow over Rian’s life. She knew that he never fully be over her. She didn't expect him to, not after losing her so horribly.

Rian let out a breath and his haunted eyes turned to her. “I- I'm sorry… this doesn't… I still meant everything I said.”

“You miss her,” she said, matter-of-fact. It was the truth. It was how he felt. There was no need to deny it.

“I'm sorry,” he whispered.

“What for?”

“I love you, I do, but…”

“But you're still grieving her,” she finished for him. “You lost someone you loved. You're allowed to miss her.”

He shook his head like he didn’t deserve her words. “You're too kind. I mean it. You're too understanding. You deserve someone who can give you all their heart.”

His words struck her like a bolt and she could feel her heart begin to sink. “Oh…” _Maybe we were still just pretending after all._

He saw the sadness on her face and jumped up in a panic. “Not that I don't. I mean… I just… it's complicated.”

“I know…”

He gently took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. “I love you,” he promised, his sincerity clear in his voice. “I want you to know that wasn't a lie. I don't want to waste what this night could be.”

“Do you truly want to go on?” she asked, keeping her hands in her lap. “Is that what you really feel in your heart?”

He looked away and she watched him struggle in his heart. After a moment, he shut his eyes and shook his head. “I'm just not ready,” he said, letting his hands slide from her shoulders, “not yet.”

“You don't have to be ready.”

His eyes fell on the bracelet once again. “What if we don't get another chance?”

She slipped her hand into his. “What if we do?”

A shy smile broke through. He pushed back her hair and kissed her temple. “One day,” he promised in her ear.

They spent the rest of the evening curled up next to each other, watching the fire crackle and finishing the bottle of wine. It was comfortable and cozy. She felt at home here, not necessarily in Stone-in-the-Wood, but in his arms. He held her close and she nestled into him. Occasionally they stole a light kiss on the hand or cheek.

There was an understanding between them. They loved each other, that much was true, but Rian needed more time. After everything he'd been through, that was to be expected. But he promised her one day, and he was not sort of gelfling to make empty promises. One day his grief will fade into remembrance, the turmoil will pass, and they will be together in every way to gefling in love can.

When sleep began to hover over them, they cleaned up and went to bed. Rian invited her to share his. Neither of them wanted to be alone. This night was particularly treacherous and their bodies provided the warmth and comfort they both craved. They didn't make love that night, but now Deet longed for the day they would. She was confident that promised day would come. With him, she was sure it would be wonderful. And to think, not long ago, the idea of kissing him it seemed impossible.

Deet woke in the night to see Rian sleeping soundly next to her. She smiled. She liked seeing him like this, calm and peaceful. _One day_ , she promised in her heart, _you won't have to live your life on the run. You'll be safe and free of fear. And you'll be happy._

She reached out to brush his bangs off with his face, but she saw thin, purple line glow in the dark. She drew back her hand and the glow moved with it. It was her. The glow was inside her veins.

Before she could think on this further, Rian shifted. His eyes fluttered open. “Deet,” he said, his voice heavy with sleep. “What time is it?”

“Go back to sleep,” she whispered. “The suns haven't risen yet.”

“You need to sleep too,” he muttered. “We'll need all our strength tomorrow.”

“Of course, I was just about to.”

A lazy smile spread on his lips. He left her kiss on her nose and drifted back off.

She rolled over and settled back down into her pillow, keeping her hands tucked close to her body. Sleep took her as she hid her worry away in the back of her mind.

The next morning, she woke to the sunlight pouring in from the window. She could feel his arm around her waist, holding her, protecting her. She looked down at her own hands. She didn't see a purple glow from the night before, but she could still feel something stirring deep inside her.

“Are you awake?” he asked.

She rolled over to face him. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.” He smiled at her, brighter than all three suns. But his face took on the look of a soldier as he remembered what this morning meant. “We should get going. There's a lot to do.”

 _What if we don't?_ She thought. _What if we stayed here and time stopped? And this moment could last forever?_

She nodded. His arm slipped from her waist and he got out of bed, taking the warmth of his body with him.

But throughout the day, just like always, everything about him, the touch of his hands, the warmth of his smile, the sweetness of his kiss… lingered. 


	5. To Guard You and to Guide You

The plants around Rian withered and died.

Gone. She was gone. Not gone in the way Mira or his father were gone, but still lost to him.

He tried to follow her, but bramble and thorns stopped him at every turn. He would never make it through the forest, not like this. He needed to go back and resupply if he wanted even a chance of finding her.

He turned and trudged back to Stone-in-the-Wood. The jubilant sounds of celebrating gelfling only put a lump in his throat and a weight on his heart.

Though they won, the battle only brought him horror. Dueling the General and plunging his sword into flesh, the reemergence of the Hunter and nearly getting his head torn off, Deet taking the full power of the Emperor’s magic.. Terror ripped through him when he saw that beam hit her. She screamed out in shock, in pain, in fear, and he was once again helpless to stop it. Once again, he could do nothing but watch as someone he loved died.

But she did not die. She struck back, taking out one of the Skeksis, proving the Lords were mortal. And if they were mortal, they could be defeated.

After the Skeksis retreated, he was concerned only with ensuring his friends were unharmed. He hugged Gurjin, saw Brea embracing her sister, then watched Deet wonder off into the woods.

When he made it back to the village, he was acutely aware of the eyes on him. Strangers looked at him like he was some sort of hero, but he didn’t feel like one. While everyone around him was filled with elation, he felt lost in a haze.

“See, there he is,” Gurjin cried, bringing Rian back to the surface.

He looked up to see his friend and Mother Aughra resting on the steps of the Maudra’s Home Hearth and his feet carried him to them.

“What’d I tell you?” Gurjin went on. “Probably snuck off for a snog.”

“But Deet’s not with him,” Kylan whispered back.

“Rian?” Brea stood up to greet him. “Where’s Deet? When we couldn’t find you two after the battle, we thought you were together.”

“Deet…” he muttered, watching their faces slowly melt into dread. “Deet is…” He choked on his words and his friends exchanged fearful glances.

“Deet?” a new voice behind him spoke. He turned to find himself faced with Deet’s father. “Has something happened to my daughter?” Every fear imaginable flash through this father’s eyes.

“Deet is alive,” Rian stumbled out, unable to keep this poor gelfling in suspense any longer. “It’s the Darkening, I think. Her eyes were purple and I could see veins in her arms.”

A grave look passed on Aughra’s face. “Maudra Argot tells me the sanctuary tree gifted her with its powers,” she said, standing up and walking over to them. “If that is true, she may have taken its ability to absorb the Darkening without being completely destroyed.”

Hope grew in his heart. “So there’s a chance? We can save her?”

“As long as she still lives, there’s always a chance, but I haven’t a clue how to reverse it.”

Rian’s eyes turned back to the forest. The spot Deet disappeared through drew him to it like a magnet. He needed to find her. He simply needed to. “I’m going after her,” he declared. “Someone needs to bring her back. If the Skeksis get to her first…” That was a chilling thought. They saw how much power she wielded and, whether they wanted to take her out or harness it for themselves, that made her a target. _It wouldn’t be the first time they made a gelfling their slave._

“But how will you find her?” Kylan asked.

“Her power’s leaving a trail,” Rian explained, recalling the path of dead plants that lay in her wake. “I should be able to catch up.”

“But the animals that were possessed by the darkening became aggressive,” Brea argued. “You saw what she can do. What if-”

“She wouldn’t hurt me!” Rian snapped. “She wouldn’t hurt any of us. She…” He looked around at his friends’ worried faces, all seeming to ask how he was so sure. But how could they forget? This was Deet they were talking about, kind, brave, gentle Deet. He couldn’t imagine a force in Thra that would compel her to harm an innocent creature, let alone one of her friends. “I just know she would never do such a thing.” _And if they were in my place last night, they’d be sure too_.

They knew nothing of the word they shared the previous night. He didn’t feel right telling them. It felt too intimate. They were words he might have kept secret even from her if he thought she wouldn’t reciprocate. But the drink and the dread of the coming battle possessed him and he asked her to pretend to love him, just to ease his grief and loneliness from a moment. It was a greater gift than he could imagine when she promised her love was real.

“Rian…” Mother Auhgra took him by the shoulder. “The road diverges here. If you choose the path that leads to Deet, take caution. It is true she is still there. Her light has not gone out. But that’s not all she is anymore.”

“Thank you, Mother Auhgra. I will head your advice. But as long as there is still a spark of Deet left in the world, I won’t lose hope.”

Mother Auhgra nodded and gave him a half-smile. There was a look of thoughtfulness on her face and her third seemed to see beyond the path before him. He knew from legend Mother Auhgra could all the paths gelfling could take and where they might lead. If this was true, and she didn’t try to stop him, which he took as a good sign.

“And you, sir,” he said, turning to Deet’s father. “I promise you, and your husband too, that I will return your daughter safely to you.

“Thank you,” her father said, tears forming in his eyes. “I can tell you’ve been a good friend to her. I trust you will do everything you can.”

Deet’s father then pulled Rian into an embrace. He couldn’t help but feel some sorrow in his heart. He’d hugged his own father for the last time the night he died. Rian already had his last chance, but Deet hadn’t, not yet, not for a long time. She would see her family again. He’d make sure of it.

The door to the Home Hearth opened and Seladon stepped out. “She’s ready,” she said, a grim look on her face. “You may tell the Stonewoods they can come in now if the wish to pay their respects.”

“Respects?” Rian asked, breaking away from the hug. “Respects to who? What’s going on?”

His friends all exchanged worried glances before Brea stepped forward to speak. “I’m afraid we have some grave news as well.”

[-]

Rian looked down at his Maudra lying motionless on a table in her throne room. Around him stood the remainder of the Stonewood warriors. Seladon let the Stonewoods in first to pay their respects before the other glelfing.

The mood hung like a shadow over their heads. Maudra Fara had been their leader since the end of the Arathim Wars. She took the crown before she even came of age. She was strong-willed, just, and brave. More than that, she loved her clan above all else. Sadly, while she led a great many into battle, she was left with a much smaller number of mourners.

To Rian, though, she held a special place in his heart. She was a good friend of his father and he had the privilege of knowing her as more than their clan’s leader. He got to peak behind the Maudra’s stern demeaner and saw Fara’s softer side. He watched her tease his father and have a laugh at the great warrior’s expense, one of the very few who could. When she visited the castle, she always made time to check in on him and ask how he was. Her love for her people showed in the time she gave to each one of them, even a childling growing up away from his clan.

Truly, they would never see another like her again.

Which left one question hanging over them all. “Had she chosen an heir?” Rian asked, looking down at his Maudra’s quiet face.

She died without children, and so, she would have chosen a successor to carry on if the worst should happen. Which it did.

The Stonewoods behind him were silent, save for some uncomfortable shuffling. He looked to Seladon, who shook her head. “We received no record of this in Ha’rar.”

“Where’s her lead advisor?” he asked, turning to the other Stonewoods.

“That would be Cohl,” one of the Stonewoods answered. “They evacuated with the other non-combatants.”

“And her guard Captain?”

The Stonewood shook his head. “One of the first drained, sir.”

His heart twisted. Of course. It made sense. Take out the clan’s leadership first, leave the maudra alive to keep the rest of the clan in line… Great Thra, he hated that he could think like them. “So who’s in charge here?”

They met his question with expectant stares. He looked them over. They were foot soldiers and a few lieutenants. They were used to taking orders or relaying decisions to their higher-ups. None were prepared for command. But the answer in their eyes was obvious.

After all, they answered his call. They followed his plan. They fought in his battle.

“It can’t be me, so who is it?!”

His outburst echoed off the walls. The Stonewoods shifted, exchanging glances. Their answer hadn’t changed, despite his protest, and he couldn’t blame them. No Maudra, not captain, and no advisors. Who else was there?

After some more non-committal shifting, Seladon spoke up. “Who is your fastest rider?”

One of the Stonewoods stepped forward. “I am, Maudra.” Finally, an answer.

“Go to the place where the non-combatants are hiding and bring them news of Maudra Fara’s death. The lead advisor should act as leader of the clan until a new Maudra is selected according to your clan’s customs.”

“More than one should go,” Rian added. “The Skeksis may have retreated for the day, but there’s no telling what they might have lurking in the forest.”

As the Stonewood warriors decided amongst themselves who should go, Rian turned to Seladon and tried to convey his thanks in his eyes. She nodded and smiled slightly in return.

Once a decision was made, the Stonewoods split into two groups, those who would escort the non-combatants back to Stone-in-the-wood, and those who would prepare Maudra Fara’s funeral ceremony. They left to carry out their duties, leaving Rian and Seladon alone in the throne room.

“She shouldn’t be buried until the rest of the clan returns,” Rian said, turning back to Maudra Fara. “She’ll want to say goodbye to all of her children.”

“Of course.” Seladon said, approaching Fara’s body. “She was a titan. A fighter to the end.”

“Yes…” Rian couldn’t stop staring at her still face.

“We must fight in her place,” she continued, placing a hand on his shoulder, “now that Thra has called her home.”

“Killed by the Skeksis, you mean,” he seethed. That little flare of anger was the first emotion to penetrate the numbness he felt since stepping in the room. He felt strangely sober, despite the circumstances. His Maudra lay dead before him and his eyes were shockingly dry. Perhaps he simply ran out of tears to shed. But a tiny flame of fury flickered in his heart like a candle in a fog. It could weaken and die or grown strong enough to burn down the whole world. Only time would tell which.

“Can I ask, why can’t you lead until a new Maudra is selected?” Seladon said. “You led the battle, after all. Your clan seems to respect you.”

 _Today they do._ He shook his head to cast the thought away. “You weren’t out there when I explained.” He went on to tell her about Deet’s disappearance. “I made a promise that I would find her and bring her back safely. I can’t break that promise.”

Seladon listened quietly, no judgement on her face. When he finished, she nodded. “I understand. I’ll see to it that Fara is properly returned to Thra and a new Maudra is crowned.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your help,” he said, wishing there were words strong enough to convey his gratitude. She truly had no idea how much it helped him to know he was leaving Fara in capable hands. “I should say my goodbyes now. I won’t be able to stay for the ceremony.”

“I’ll leave you alone, then.” Her hand brushed his back one more time. “Take all the time you need.”

Seladon walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. The sound echoed off the walls. He looked down at Fara again. She still looked proud and strong, despite everything. He waited for words to come to him, but there were none. Strange how, now that he had time to say goodbye, he couldn’t think of what to say.

 _Say what’s in your heart,_ a sweet, familiar voice reminded him. A half smile tugged at his lips. He opened his mouth and started talking.

[-]

That night, Rian returned to his grandmother’s house to prepare supplies for his journey. He took a bow and quiver full of arrows from the armory, as well as an extra sword, just in case. While he knew the woods well enough to survive on the plants that grew there, he also took some warrior’s marching bread and an extra water skin.

As he was running a whetstone across one of the swords, there was a knock at the door. “Come in,” Rian called, expecting one of his friends. Instead, Deet’s father entered the room.

“Sir,” Rian said, setting his sword aside and jumping to attention. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“I was just hoping to talk to you,” the older gelfling said, joining Rian in the living room.

“Of course, sir.”

“Lath’N” Deet’s father answered. “You can call me Lath’N. There’s no need to be so formal.”

“Alright, Lath’N,” Rian said, inviting him to sit down. “What can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to thank you for looking after my daughter,” he said sitting beside Rian on the sofa. “I’m glad she found such a good friend on the surface.”

“It’s Deet who’s been a great friend,” Rian said, feeling a warmth in his cheeks. “I’m only doing what she would have done for me.”

“That is good to hear,” Lath’N said, looking over the supplies on the table. “I see you’re preparing for your journey.”

“Yes, I plan to leave as soon as the first brother rises. Don’t’ worry, I’m a good tracker and I know these woods well. I won’t lose her.”

“I have faith in you.” The older gelfling’s eyes lingered on Rian’s face. “Forgive more saying this, but you look tired.”

“Well, I did fight in a battle today. And trained with some the fighters this morning… almost died a time or two…” he trailed off. So much had happened, it felt like weeks had passed. It was hard to believe that, just this morning, he woke up with Deet in his arms.

“And that was all just today,” Lath’N said, summing up Rian’s thoughts. “But I didn’t mean like that. You look a different kind of tired. It’s not fair, really. You’re too young to look this tired.”

“A lot’s happened in the last…” He stopped as he tried to count the days in his head. How long had it been? Everything was starting to blur together.

Lath’N reached to the table and picked up the sword Rian was sharpening. From the way he held it, Rian could tell it wasn’t his first time holding a blade. “Fine sword you’ve got here. What kind of steel is it?”

“I don’t really know. I lost my sword the first time I fought the Hunter. This is a spare Naia and Gurjin brought me from the castle… Or, is this the one I took from the Circle of the Suns? Or the armory? Been through a lot of swords lately. Do you know about smithing?”

“Just tangential stuff you pick up through training.”

“Training?” Rian asked. “But, Deet told me her fathers were nurloc farmers.”

“I am now,” Lath’N laughed. “But in my younger years, I was a castle guard.”

“You? Really?” Rian let out a small laugh as well. “Forgive me but, there have only been about a dozen Grotton guards in history.”

“That’s true.” Lath’N smiled and extended his hand. “Meet number twelve.”

“It is an honor, sir.” Rian shook his hand vigorously. “You must outrank me.”

“I doubt it. I left when I was still young.”

“Oh, may I ask why?”

“Well, when I joined, I was young, with dreams of adventure. It turned out to be quite different from what I expected.”

Rian nodded. “It might sound strange coming from me, but the castle could be very dull.” He’d heard similar things from guards who’d come and gone. He’d tell them, ‘if you want adventure, you should join the Sifa.’ Most coming in didn’t realize how boring the castle was. Gurjin, who joined because ‘they say nothing ever goes wrong at the castle’, was the only one who had a different answer.

Lath’N laughed. “Yes, but that’s not what I meant. There were things I liked about it, like meeting gelfling from all the different clans. But everyone was so on-edge all the time, and always so formal. It was very different from Grot. We’re a small clan, so it’s more like a big family. We’re more laid-back and friendly.”

“That sound’s nice,” Rian mused. Although ‘laid-back and friendly’ hardly described his family…

No that wasn’t entirely true. His grandmother, for example, was always kind and comforting. And she told him funny stories from when his father was a kid, which was a plus. Then there were the times when he was young and his mother was still alive, and they all lived in a little house on the edge of the village. He remembered how his parents would smile and laugh together. How his mother would teach him old gelfling songs. How he’d watch his father practicing drills in the yard and how his father would invite him over to try the moves. How sometimes, on a quiet night, his mother would read him a story, usually and old gelfling folktale, and he’d look up to see him father smiling at them, just content to watch them exist.

It would be nice to have that again, but, it seemed like an impossible dream.

“The thing I think I disliked the most,” Lath’N continued, “was that, when you were out on escort duty, you had to hold yourself above the other gelfling, like you weren’t just like one of them.”

“I know what you mean,” Rian said. Lath’N general assessment was right. Life as a guard was not only dull, but tense. You weren’t a gelfling when you were on duty, but the Skeksis’ hands. You were meant to do their bidding without question. But they made it seem like it was a privilege to be serving them, like you were a step above everyone else. _And that’s exactly how they’ve been fooling us for a thousand trine._

“I grew up in the castle,” Rian went on. “There wasn’t a lot to do as a childling. I was always getting into trouble. But you’re right. I was always on edge. I always had to be out of the Skeksis’ way. If I was too much of a bother, they might have had me sent from the castle, away from my father.”

Lath’N’s face looked grave. “That’s a terrible burden for a child to bare.”

Rian almost didn’t know what to say. Lath’N’s sad, disappointed eyes bored into him. He wasn’t disappointed in Rian, but in the circumstances of Rian’s childhood. _No child should be forced to grow up as lonely as you did,_ they seemed to say.

Rian’s heart tightened and he forced out a laugh. “It wasn’t all bad. The guards mostly treated me like a little brother or cousin. And, when I got old enough, my father gave me sword fighting lessons every morning. Plus, I got to spend my summers in Stone-in-the-Wood. It was a lot like how you described Grot. The villagers were usually friendly and welcoming. At least, I had other children to play with.”

“You know, you light up when you talk about Stone-in-the-Wood.”

A soft, genuine smile came to his face. “I’ve made a lot of fond memories here.” _Even just last night,_ he thoughts as he remembered the feeling of Deet’s lips of his.

Lath’N gave him a curious look. “And yet, when you came of age, you stayed at the castle as a guard.”

“Of course.” The comment surprised him. No one ever questioned his decision to join the guard, not even Rian himself. It was what he was always supposed to do, what was expected from him. “My father was the captain for most of my life. I was to follow in his footsteps.”

“Seems to me you have. He was a great hero, was he not? And now, so are you.”

“That…hadn’t occurred to me…” It was true, come to think of it. Victory crumbled to ashes so quickly, he hadn’t had time to process what happened. But, all those gelfling who came up to him and congratulated him, they must think so. Although, he was not the one who dealt the final blow. “Deet’s the real hero. She’s the one who sent the Skeksis running. Even before that, I never would have made it this far without her.”

“Deet is something special,” Lath’N said with a wistful smile on his face.

“Yes,” Rian agreed, a smile growing on his face as well. “Very special.”

“As are you,” Lath’N said, putting his hand on Rian’s shoulder. “Not everyone could go through all you have and come out the other side still standing, let alone continuing to fight.”

“I must.” Once again, Lath’N surprised him. Of course he was still fighting. What else was there to do? “We’re at war now and it’s a war I started, so I better finish it.”

“You can’t blame yourself for this.”

“It’s true through. I’m the one-”

“Are you the one responsible for a thousand trine of Skeksis rule?” Lath’N asked in a surprisingly firm voice. “This war was a long time coming and the fight is bigger than any one gelfling. I believe there’s an old Stonewood saying. ‘There are times when the blade is necessary.’”

“Yes, and this is one of those times. But there’s more to that saying. ‘The hand that wields the blade cannot help the fallen to their feet.’”

“So, you put your blade side when the fighting is done.”

“That’s right,” Rian sighed, looking at the sword on the table. “What are you getting at?”

Lath’N looked at him with his gentle eyes. “I only wonder if this is the life you would have chosen for yourself, if you had the choice.”

Words lodged in his throat. What would he be if none of this had happened? If he was never a guard? If the Skeksis never came to Thra? His whole life was so tied up with the guard and Skeksis and now the rebellion, it was hard to imagine anything else. His life would be completely different. Thra would be completely different. But, was there any point in wondering? The war had begun. The Skeksis needed to be dislodged if the gelfling were ever to be free. “It hardly matters now.” He may not get to choose but, if they won, future generations might.

“Still, it’s something to consider,” Lath’N said, picking up the sword to inspect it again. “When you set your blade aside, Rian, what will you do?” He put the sword back on the table. He then said his goodbyes, wished Rian best of luck, and left him alone.

Rian went back to preparing for his journey, but his eyes kept lingering on his sword and Lath’N’s question stuck in his mind. Should they win, should the Skeksis be defeated for good, should the gelfling finally have peace, what would he do? Could he set his sword aside? Could he find something else to do with his life, something he truly wanted?

They needed to win first. The war had to be fought. They were being hunted and killed. The Skeksis would wipe out all gelfling if they could. They needed to save Thra, as well as all gelfling-kind.

But, after that, if they won, Rian may, finally, have a choice.

[-]

The first brother had just cracked the horizon when Rian began his journey. Pure exhaustion was the only thing that allowed him to sleep that night. His mind was too full of dread to give him pleasant dreams, but, luckily, there were no nightmares either. Just a night of blessed, dead-to-the-world slumber. It was the best he could hope for, but it didn’t compare to the night before, holding Deet close and warm, his face nestled in her soft hair… It was only one night but the bed still felt empty and cold without her.

He stepped outside. A thin layer of fog hung in the chilly early-morning air. A few remnants of battle lay scattered on the ground. The streets were empty, but not like they were when he and Deet first arrived. He could walk through the village, knowing the gelfling were sleeping safely in their beds, or at least under the roofs offered to them. He was leaving this place full of life, but only for now. _I’ll be back,_ he promised himself. _And I’ll be back with Deet._

As he made his way to the edge of town, a voice broke through the morning silence. “Thought you could give us the slip, eh?”

Rian’s heart lifted at the sound. He turned to see his friends gathered behind him. “What are you all doing up so early?” He hurried back to them with a smile on his face. “You’re not planning on coming with me, are you?”

He was of two minds about that. On the one hand, he appreciated the support and the company. Plus, traveling in a group would be safer, should they run into any trouble. But, he needed to travel light and move quick if he wanted to catch up to Deet. Besides, the other gelfling would need leadership if they were to defeat the Skeksis for good.

“No,” Seladon clarified. “There’s too much to do while the Skeksis still reign.”

“And someone needs to make sure the clans are still standing when you get back,” Naia added.

He nodded. Of course, Deet was only one mission in this great game. They each had their own paths to follow. He could only hope they’d all lead back together again.

“We wanted to see you off,” Kylan said. “And wish you good fortune on your journey.”

Gurjin smiled. “And you didn’t really think you could leave without saying goodbye, did you?”

“Thank you, all of you,” Rian said, his heart full. “I know we all have our parts to play. I wish you all good fortune as well and that, someday, we will all meet again in happier times.”

“I wanted to give you this.” Brea stepped forward and handed him a little leather-bound book.

“Your journal? Are you sure?”

“I’ve written a lot about Thra’s history in there. The Skeksis have tried to stamp out much of it, but I want to restore it to all gelfling. Knowledge can be a powerful tool against a cunning foe. I hope it will help you on your journey.”

“Thank you. I’ll make good use of it.”

“I know you will.” Tears welled up in Brea’s eyes and she pulled Rian into a hug. “Bring her back.”

“I will,” he vowed, his resolve hardening even more.

“You’d better,” Gurjin said, his smirk doing a poor job of hiding his fears. Rian transferred from Brea’s arms to Gurjin’s. “Watching you make a fool of yourself over a gelfling you fancy is one of life’s greatest joys.”

Rian let out a breathy laugh. “There’ll be plenty of time for that.” He’d wonder how Grujin knew, but they’d been best friends long enough to become familiar with each other’s subtleties. He was sure Gurjin could read him as easily as he could read Gurjin.

His best friend released him and Naia stepped up next. “Deet’s a sweet girl,” Naia said, hugging him. “If you let anything happen to her, I’ll have your head.”

“I’d deserve it,” Rian answered.

When Naia was finished, Kylan took his turn to embrace Rian. “I know you’ll do everything you can to keep her safe but remember to keep yourself safe as well.”

“I’ll try.”

He stepped away from Kylan and found himself faced with Seladon. She was their All Maudra now, but in that moment, she looked shy and nervous. He could understand why. Most of them barely knew her. She was summoned to the Crystal with them, but she refused its first call. Their little band of friends had been through so much together. Perhaps she felt like an outsider.

She stepped forward but made no move to embrace him like the others did. “When you find Deet, tell her…” she cast her eyes downward, “tell her I’m sorry for treating her so poorly when we first met.”

“You’ll be able to tell her yourself.” He strode forward and embraced her. “I swear it.” Whatever mistakes she made in the past, she fought alongside them in their battle again the Skeksis. She was his sister in arms now. If they were to ever win the war, they needed to stay together.

The hug ended and he stepped back to see the sad smiles on their faces. He was grateful for them all. Their seeing him off was not only a testament to when great friends they were, but to how much they all loved Deet. “Thank you, all of you. When we next meet, I’ll bring happier news. I promise.”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” Gurjin smirked. “Go on, now. Go be a hero.”

Rian took one more look at his friends, then turned to head out of town. They called out their final farewells to him. Each one filled his heart with hope as he disappeared into the Endless Forrest.


End file.
